Adjusting to Ponyboy
by Pale18
Summary: Darry and Soda have a new baby brother, Ponyboy. Soda's really happy. But to Darry, it's a living nightmare. Darry has to adjust to his new brother. A few things have to be done to make that happen. Please read and review!
1. The Angel and Devil

_A.N.) This is my first Outsiders fic. I hope y'all like it. **I made Darry and Soda a little bit older then they should.** Please stop constantly bringing that up._

_Darry - 9_

_Sodapop - 4_

_Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders. _

_Adjusting to Ponyboy_

_Chapter 1: The Angel and The Devil_

Nine-year-old Darry Curtis was not happy. He was in the waiting room of a hospital. At two o'clock in the morning, no less. His arms were crossed and he had a scary look on his face. On the other hand, four-year-old Sodapop Curtis was as happy as a toddler could be. Soda sat shaking with excitement, with one big grin on his face.

The Curtis parents were in the delivery room at that moment. A nurse was standing by, keeping an eye on Darry and Soda.

"I got out of bed for this?" Darry asked like a grouch. Darry was smarter then the average bear. Or the average nine-year-old. He was reading a lot and knew things he wasn't expected to know till middle school. Soda then looked concerned, but still had a trace of enthusiasm. He didn't appreciate Darry's comment.

"Don't be wike that. Dawwy." he said in a pout. He was back to the extremely giddy face. "Just think, in a few minutes wewe goin' to have a new bwother or sistew! I'm so exceeded!" he said, trying to say _excited_.

"This is a big problem, Soda. _It's_ going to alternate our lives dramatically. _It's_ going to ruin us. It's going to be 'the baby this' and 'the baby that'!" Darry objected.

"I don't think that. I'm goin' to wove and hug him or hew as soon as I get a chance!" Soda said. _He was so innocent, but a naive, happy-go-lucky blob,_ Darry thought. _That monster is gonna steal our lives! I had a lucky break with Soda's coming though. But I can't let my guard down for a sec!_

"I can't wait! Now we'll have someone to wefewee (referee) when we pway football!" Soda exclaimed happily! Darry looked even more livid.

"Yeah! Now you're the monkey in the middle!" Darry snapped at Sodapop. The good thing was that Soda didn't see that as an insult.

"We can play that now too!" he said cheering. To Soda's fortune, yet to Darry's bad luck, the two boys' father walked out of the delivery room. He was dressed in green scrubs, like some nurses, and a surgical mask. He took it off to show the boys he was smiling.

"Darry, Soda, would you like to meet someone?" he asked. _No, _Darry thought bitterly. "Come on," his father prodded. No one needed to ask Soda twice. He jumped from his seat and ran into the room. Darry and his father followed behind. Darry looked like he was about to go to school; mad, bored, and thinking there was no point.

The boys paid no attention to the room's scenery. Only on the lady, who sat on the hospital bed, with something rapped in a blanket, bundled in her arms. She looked like she'd been though something crazy, but that little bundle in her arms made it all worth while.

"Mommy, I wanna see!" Soda said and ran up to his mother to look at the buddle. Darry grumbled something and walked up to see too. Soda looked at the bundle eagerly; Darry looked at the bundle solemnly. The two brothers stared a little baby. A little baby was the bundle. His was really cute, and still pink. He had a small puff of light brown, almost red, hair. The nurse had given him a pacifier, so he was sucking on that. It was platonic love at first sight for Soda, and Darry too. He just didn't realize it yet.

"Say hello to your new baby brother, boys," said their mother.

The baby's eyes opened slightly. His first sight was Darry and Sodapop Curtis. Soda smiled down at him. Darry scowled.

"What's his name?" Soda questioned.

"Ponyboy." their father answered. Darry looked even more disappointed than he already was.

"What kind of name is _Ponyboy_?" Darry asked. His parents didn't hear him.

"A good one," Soda answered, still staring at his new brother.

"Would you like to hold him, Darry?" his mother asked. Darry did his best not to spit out, "Heck no!" He knew his folks would be on his case if he said no. So Darry held his arms out, and allowed the baby to be placed in his arms. Darry's mother turn away from him to talk to the doctor about when they would be able to go home. His father left to take Soda to the bathroom.

Darry looked at the Pony with disgust. Just looking at him. His little hands balled up, sucking on a pacifier, his big grey-green looking at Darry innocently. Horrible!

"I hate you," Darry said, declaring war between him and this baby. Pony's eyes got big and his pacifier fell out of his mouth. Then, Ponyboy was ripped out of Darry's arms and into Soda's. Darry blinked. He didn't notice Soda and his father returned. Fortunately, they had not heard Darry's pronounce.

"I wove ya," Soda said to Ponyboy. Looks like Pony had an angel (Soda) and a demon (Darry) with him.

Let the challenge of adjusting to a new baby brother begin!

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_A.N.) I hope you liked this. But it's only the beginning. __**Please review!**_


	2. He Reached Out

_A.N.) Hope you enjoy this._

_Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders. _

_Adjusting to Ponyboy_

_Chapter 2: He Reached Out_

**04:00 a.m.**

Darry had been right to think the worst of his new baby brother. As soon as the family returned home, they decided to alternate the placement of the crib. It was planned to be in Mr. and Mrs. Curtis's bedroom, but there was so little room. And even though Mrs. Curtis liked things as clean as they could be, the room was still cluttered. And guess where Ponyboy's new sleeping location was? It was Darry and Soda's room.

As expected, Soda didn't mind at all, and Darry did. Soda stood adjacent to Pony's crib. He was using a teddy bear for a ventriloquism act for Pony. The baby wiggled his fingers, as he laid in his crib, to prove Soda was pleasing him. They were having fun. Darry stood near the crib too. His eyes narrowed at the baby. He tried hard to image this… this… _thing_ as a demon. With horns and pitch fork, like he was from a can of Underwood Ham, but his father interrupted his thoughts.

"Alright boys, time to get some sleep. You're mother is already out cold," said Mr. Curtis. _Sweet sleep at last!_ Darry thought, jumping onto his kid bed, fit for one. But of course, Soda had to be different.

"Awwww! Now? I want to pway with Pony some mowe!" Soda protested. His father grinned and shook his head.

"You can play with Pony in the morning, Pepsi-Cola. He needs to sleep and so do you," he said. He walked to his second son and ruffled his hair. A gesture of affection. Soda sighed and got into his bed similar to Darry's. Mr. Curtis gave Darry a hug, and kissed Pony's head. "Good-night," he said, turned off the lights and left. Darry smiled and closed his eyes. He was almost asleep, but was waked by the sound of his kid brother getting out of bed.

He should've known that wouldn't have been the last of Sodapop Curtis, and he knew what Soda was going to do. Soda didn't leave the room. He went back to Pony's crib. Darry still laid in bed, and rolled his eyes. It's just a baby! Let it go, Soda!

"I can't wait tiww you'we a bit biggew. You, Dawwy, and me wiww pway footbaww togethew and pig out on chocowate cake and watch TB togethew," Soda babbled. "But at the same time, I want you to stay a baby. 'Cause if you stay wittle, me, Dawwy, and you can keep playing fowevew." Soda patted Pony's head. "Night Pone," was the last thing Soda said. Afterward, he went back to bed.

When he was sure Soda was asleep, Darry sat up. He looked intrigued. He never knew Soda would make such a big deal about this baby. He got out of his bed and went to Pony's crib. Seems that baby was still awake. Huge grey-green eyes looked at Darry. Darry had to admit he was… cute. But that didn't change a thing!

Ponyboy lifted his balled up hands and reached for Darry. He'd taken quite a liking to him, but that didn't win Darry's affection as it did Soda. No, Darry was a bit more hard-headed. He stared down, not responding at all to Pony, but Pony just kept his arms up.

Darry's shell cracked. He reached over and let Pony's itty-bitty hand grab his finger.

No! No! No! His shell was becoming more than cracked. It was breaking! Shattering! Ruptured!

He shook his head and tore his finger away. Ponyboy panicked, and started reaching for Darry wildly. Hands clamped and opened, desperately trying to grab Darry's finger again. He made little urging noises, saying he going to cry. Darry put Pony's pacifier in Pony's mouth to shut him up.

_You're breaking me kid, _Darry thought. _Tomorrow, I'll try getting rid of ya._

With that done, Darry left Pony, and went back to bed.

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_A.N.) __**Please review!**_


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